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When the body of 45-year-old Glen Harrelson was found in his Denver home, police tried to contact his wife, but soon they made a startling realization. She had played the part of grieving widow once before: Her previous husband also had died a mysterious accidental death...

Summary

A true story detailing the events surrounding the murder of wealthy North Carolinian Lieth von Stein. The case seemed cold until police followed a trail leading to von Stein's stepson, a smart young man who was obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons and wrapped up in drugs.

Another Jerry Bledsoe success

This is not the most exciting true crime book I've ever read but it has all the characteristics of a compelling read and I spent more time listening than I really should have. What makes it different from many true crime stories is the contrast between the potential of the young men involved and the road they chose. Academically they could have succeeded in any number of rewarding careers and contributed to society in so many ways, but while still in their teens they left the 'straight and narrow' and headed down the path to disaster. I'm left wondering why the discrepancy between reported events and the victim's stomach contents was never followed up - it seemed like a really important piece of evidence. As for Kevin Stillwell's narration, my only acquaintance with US accents is from the occasional TV program so I can't comment on its authenticity, but to me it suited the subject matter perfectly and I found the accent, voice, and presentation very pleasant to listen to.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Overall

1 out of 5 stars

Performance

1 out of 5 stars

Story

3 out of 5 stars

Jill K. Silos

10-11-15

Horrible narration

Would you try another book from Jerry Bledsoe and/or Kevin Stillwell?

The writing is good, but the only way I'd read another is if there is a different narrator. Why on earth does this book have a narrator with a syrup-thick southern accent? Just because the events happened in North Carolina? Since when is regional dialect appropriate for narration? Too distracting.

Would you recommend Blood Games to your friends? Why or why not?

Not with this narrator.

What didn’t you like about Kevin Stillwell’s performance?

Really can't stand the accent. Who says "PO-lice" like Boss Hogg in a book narration? It this was an attempt at a "folksy" style, it wasn't well-done.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

1 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

christina s hughes

15-02-16

Ok book ,story seems good

Would you try another book from Jerry Bledsoe and/or Kevin Stillwell?

Jerry Bledsoe yes Kevin stillwell ,no.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot did ,but I really don't need to know about the way the town was in the 1800s. I wish someone could give basic outlines for these true crime stories without telling me about the Great Great Great Great Grandparents

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator must believe that Southerners are IDIOTS he made me dislike listening to the book by pronouncing the word "Police" as "Poe-lease" he tried to come across as having a "southern" accent but it was really badly done. I am a southerner and I do not say "Poe-lease" nor do I say " tabacca"

Was Blood Games worth the listening time?

If it wasn't for the rambling history and narrator ,yes.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Susan

30-05-15

Love the author; perturbed with the narrator

What made the experience of listening to Blood Games the most enjoyable?

Having read several of Jerry Bledsoe's books in print, I was excited to see Blood Games in audio format. I like Bledsoe's meticulous detail in presenting the investigation of the murder, especially since this one involved settings in Raleigh, North Carolina.

What other book might you compare Blood Games to and why?

Blood Games is similar in its topic to Bledsoe's Bitter Blood.

What does Kevin Stillwell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I had listened to Bitter Blood before Blood Games, and Kevin Stillwell narrated both. He has an easy, semi-southern drawl that works for the regions examined in both books. The most annoying quirk about Stillwell is his pronunciation of the word "police." He pronounces it "PO-lees," with a long "o" sound and the accent on the first syllable. Since both books involved cases in which the law enforcement played vital roles, this annoying pronunciation continued ad infinitum, much to my chagrin. In addition, there were several mistakes in pronunciation of places in Raleigh and in North Carolina. Ex: Bragaw Dormitory was consistently mispronounced "Burgaw." Burgaw is a town in North Carolina, but it not the name of the dormitory. In my opinion, a savvy editor should have caught this kind of mistake; of course, I am assuming that Bledsoe spelled it correctly in the book. Because the skill of the narrator can make or break an audio book experience for me, I am not sure that I would listen to another book narrated by Stillwell.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

inov8v

07-06-15

perfect combo...

perfect convergence of great writing...great story...great narration...phenomenal to listen to...couldn't wait to get in my car and sit in traffic...

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Daryl

13-12-15

Terrific true crime!

I read Jerry Bledsoe's books several years ago, and was thrilled to find them on Audible recenetly.

This book described the brutal murder of a stepfather and attempted murder of the mother of a young man who, seemingly, had everything going for him. He wanted their money, and his friends wanted their money, and one life ended and another would never be the same.

The book seems to jump around a bit, describing the main participants in this plot... particularly from Chris' upbringing to Bart's. Occasionally, it drags unnecessarily and leaves some loose ends hanging. But bledsoe is a terrific researcher and reporter, and Stilwell is a smooth-toned narrator, which allows one to overlook some of these flaws.

If you are looking for good true crime, you can't get much better than Bledsoe; Stilwell's rich smooth tones and pronunciation of "poh-lease" stand him apart as a narrator for Bledsoe's southern true crime bookes.

Well worth the time and credit.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

1 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Chidozie

13-05-18

Good book, but a jarring tick in narration.

Jerry Bledsoe is one of the best in the genre, but my cringe at the narrator's gratuitous pronunciation of the word "police" persisted all the way to the end. And since the work is true crime, the word comes up a lot. I found it quite distracting.

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

La Eskie

07-06-17

Poe-leese

Kevin Stillwell!!!! Why do you say police so annoyingly??!!! This is the only reason it lost a star. He narrator' accent is too much at times.

Overall

1 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

1 out of 5 stars

Nick

30-06-16

Boring.

I gave this book 2 hours, but couldn't take anymore. it's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.......... boring. oh well

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

3 out of 5 stars

jey cee

06-09-15

Blood games

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Very well written, keeps your interest. I have read another book about this murder but not in this detail. He delves into the lives of all the people involved and really tells the story behind this plot.